Interview Bergkloster
Winery
Foundation: approx. 1893
Area: 7.7 ha
Production: approx. 40,000 bottles
Winegrowingarea: Rheinhessen
Zone: Wonnegau
Municipality: Westhofen
Sites:Morstein, Kirchspiel, Aulerde, Steingrube, Rotenstein, Pilgerpfad Grape
varieties: approx. 15
Soil, typicity: lime, loess, clay
Sea level, exposure: 121 m
Work in the vineyard: intervene as little as possible in the vine . We work supportively and always with the focus on giving the vine and the soil the best. A lot of greenery, seeing the whole picture, respecting nature.
Winery methods: Careful handling of the grapes, maceration or direct pressing, no additives, large wooden barrels, stainless steel, lots of rest and time, no filtration, no sulphur addition.
Winemaker
First contact with the vine - when, how, where: At 15, Huxel vine in liquid state, grape blossom festival.
Why are you a winemaker: Working with nature. Being constantly dependent on nature keeps me humble and is incredibly exciting. Raising vines and watching them from a young age, following them for a year and then harvesting the fruit and turning it into wine is an awesome feeling. Bottling wine that is bursting with life and seeing people celebrate that is the best.
Where and with whom did you learn to work with vines, vinify wine and manage a winery: 2011 at Wittmann Winery, 2012 at Philipp Kuhn Winery, 2017 at Grosset in Australia. I was allowed to look in everywhere and find out more and more what is right for us.
Is there a team, or do you work alone: mom (office and customer contact), dad (vineyard + cellar), Francisco (vineyard), Dirk (shipping), in the future a trainee and me.
"Vine", what does it mean to you, or what comes to mind spontaneously: Life, love, nature, respect.
What is your inspiration for vinification: My gut feeling, letting nature unfold, letting go of control.
An important aspect of your work in the vineyard: vital, healthy soils through versatile planting, biodiversity, intervening as little as possible.
What materials and forms do you prefer in the cellar for fermentation and aging and why: wood. each barrel is individual and putting the juices/wine in something that comes from nature is bomb.
The character of your wines: Invigorating.
Winemakers you appreciate: All the ones who keep pushing you and always give you new food for thought and don't think inside the box.
Do you have a favorite wine: The ones from my Bruvs.
"Natural wine": Most honest wines. Life in Bottles.
If you had the opportunity to change one thing about your vineyard or winery, what would it be: I would prefer to do all vineyard work without a tractor, work only with wood in the cellar.
Projects and/or utopias: Marto, Andi Weigand, Andi Mann and I are bringing something to bottle together this year, it's going to be brutal, keep your eyes open.
A nice place to drink wine: natural wine bars.
Photo Credit: Michael Krosny
